Unlock Higher Incentives • Serve More Customers • Make Greater Impact
What you know:
What's new:
Key Point: Higher CPF incentives go to customers to reduce their out-of-pocket costs. This means projects that customers couldn't afford before become possible. Your benefit: More deals close, new market access, steady pipeline from CBOs.
| Feature | Standard Residential | Community Partner Funding |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Source | You find customers | CBO provides pre-qualified customers |
| Upfront Cost | Customer pays, gets rebate later | Often 100% covered upfront |
| Application | You submit after work complete | Flexible - you or CBO submits |
| Payment | Check to customer (4-6 weeks) | Check to you or CBO directly |
| Market | General population | Underserved communities |
| Support | Self-serve | Program representative support |
How it works: Higher incentives reduce customer costs, enabling projects that wouldn't otherwise happen. CBOs bring you these customers. Calculate potential additional installations and revenue.
When customers pay less out-of-pocket, more projects become affordable. Higher incentives remove cost barriers that kill deals.
CBOs identify customers, conduct assessments, and make qualified referrals. You focus on installations, not lead generation.
Access customers who need your services but couldn't afford them before.
Build lasting relationships with trusted community organizations.
Energy Trust program representatives help navigate the process.
With projects often fully funded upfront, you avoid customer payment issues and get paid for completed work.
Diversify revenue streams without sacrificing existing business.
Make a real difference while growing your business. Win-win.
"Working with Community Action agencies through CPF opened up a whole new market for me. These families couldn't afford the upfront costs before, but with the higher CPF incentives covering more of the project, deals close. The CBO handles outreach and education, I do the installs. It's added about 30% to my annual revenue."
"I was skeptical at first—why would I need a CBO? But they bring customers I'd never reach otherwise. The higher incentives mean families can actually afford the work. The CBO does the assessment and education, I quote and install. My close rate on CPF referrals is way higher than cold leads."
Reach out to community partners in your service area. Energy Trust can help with introductions.
Each CBO has different capacity. Some need full installation services, others just need specific expertise.
Work together to define how referrals, pricing, and installations will work.
CBOs are trusted in their communities, but they often don't have technical expertise or installation capacity. That's where you come in. By partnering with CBOs, you provide the technical skill while they provide community relationships and customer support.
Rural Manufactured Home Community: A housing authority partnered with a local contractor to upgrade 25 manufactured homes with ductless heat pumps. Total project value: $87,500. Families went from spending $200+/month on electric heat to $60/month.
Urban Affordable Housing: A community action agency worked with three contractors to weatherize 40 homes. The enhanced CPF incentives covered 100% of costs for income-qualified families. Average energy bill reduction: 35%.
Veterans Housing: A veterans' service organization partnered with contractors to install heat pump water heaters in 15 veteran-owned homes. The higher CPF incentives meant zero out-of-pocket costs for the veterans.
Join contractors across Oregon and Washington who are building stronger businesses through CPF partnerships.
Email communitypartners@energytrust.org to get connected with the CPF team.
The CPF team can introduce you to community organizations in your service area.
Try one or two CPF projects to see how it fits your business model.
Once you're comfortable, CPF can become a significant revenue stream.
Not necessarily! While Trade Allies are preferred, any contractor with a valid Oregon CCB or Washington contractor's license can participate through CBO partnerships.
Payment arrangements are flexible. Often, you invoice the CBO or customer, complete the work, and Energy Trust sends the incentive check directly to you or the CBO (whoever funded the project).
No! CPF is additional to your existing business. You can (and should) continue doing standard residential work while adding CPF partnerships.
The Energy Trust CPF team can connect you with community organizations in your area looking for contractor partners. Email communitypartners@energytrust.org.
No, the same technical specifications apply. You're doing the same quality work, just with higher incentives and different customer pipeline.
However much you want! Some contractors do occasional CPF jobs, others make it a core part of their business. It's flexible based on your capacity.
More CBOs are joining CPF every month. More underserved households need your services. Higher incentives make projects possible that weren't before.
Don't miss out on this growing market.